Automatic fire-alarm.



J. B. SMITH.

AUTOMATIC FIRE AIQARM.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.7.1914.

Patented Oct. 12, 1915.

JAMES B. SMITH, OF MANCHESTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

AUTOMATIC FIRE-ALARM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 12, 1915.

Application filed. August 7, 1914. Serial N 0. 855,666.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JAMES B. SMITH, citizen of the United States, residing at Manchester, in the county of Hillsboro and State of New Hampshire, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Fire-Alarms, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in automatic fire alarms, the primary object of my invention being the provision of a simple and economically installed, thermostatically operated fire alarm.

More specifically, the primary object of my invention consists in the provision of a novel form of thermostatic circuit closer which may be employed in an alarm circuit and which includes a weight normally supported in inactive position by means of a readily melting or fusible compound and so disposed that when released by the melting of such compound, it will engage one of two contacts to force it against the other and close a circuit.

A further object of my invention is to provide a novel form of renewable support for the weight which may be readily applied 7 to or detached from the body proper of the circuit closer.

With-these and other objects in view, my invention will be more-fullydescribed, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and then specifically pointed out in the claims which are attached to and form a part of this application.

"In the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective' view of my improved circuit closer, looking at it from beneath; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 3, Fig. 2 also illustrating a simple form of wiring for my alarm; Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig; 2; Fig. i is a perspective view of a modified form: of weight supporting member; Fig. 5 is a similar view of a still further modified form of weight support: ing member. 4 Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all'the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

The preferred embodiment of my invention, as disclosed in Figs. 1 to 3 of the drawings, includes a base'or body portion 10, of non-current conducting material, preferably wood, provided as a rule with a transverse screw or nail receiving bore 11 by means of which it may be attached to a wall, bracket or other suitable support. Resilient contact strips 12 and 13 are secured to the bottom of this support by screws 14 which extend completely through the body 10 and serve to anchor binding posts 15 and 16, of any conventional type. It will therefore be clear that the binding posts 15 and 16 are electrically connected to the resilient contact strips 12 and 13, respectively. As will be noted, the contact strip 12 is of consid erable length, extending longitudinally throughout the greater portion of the length of the body and such strip should be of extremely light and flexible metal. On the other hand, the contact strip 13 is of relatively stiff metal, extending transversely of the body with its free end spaced slightly below the free end of the contact strip 12. For this reason, the slightest pressure eX- erted against the upper face of the contact strip 12 will serve to force such strip into engagement with the contact strip 13.

The body 10 is provided in vertical alinement above the overlapping ends of the con tact strips 12 and 13 with an opening 17, which is preferably circular in cross section and which is enlarged at its upper end to provide a stop shoulder 18, intermediate its length. Seated in the. upper end of this opening and resting at its lower end upon the stop shoulder 18 is a tubular supporting member 19 which is open at both ends, the internal diameter of this supporting member being preferably equal'to the diameter of the lower portion of the opening 17. This tubular supporting member is preferably formed from a single piece of sheet metal by bending it about a suitable cylindrical form and is so proportioned as to project at its upper end somewhat above the top of the body 10. The upper end of this supporting member is slotted to provide a plurality of spaced, vertically extending fingers 20'and each finger is preferably provided intermediate its length withanopening 21. Formed upon the inner faces of each of these fingers is an abutment 22 of some fat or wax which will melt at any desired temperature, depending upon the temperature at which it is desired that the alarm shall be given. Preferably, I usually provide some compound which will melt at between 110 and 120 degrees Fahrenheit. The compound, when applied to these fingers, seats partially in the openings 21 of such fingers andis therefore held against displacement eXcept by melting. In practice, three or more of these fingers are formed and with their fusible abutments provide a restricted passage in the upper end of the supporting member 19. A weight 23, preferably in the form of a metallic ball, is proportioned to be supported in this restricted throat opening, as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings, being of small enough size to fall readily through the supporting member 19 and opening 17 upon fusing or melting of the compound forming the abutments. This weight of course is heavy enough to force the contact strip 12 into engagement with the contact strip 13 upon its fall and to hold it in such position.

In installing the alarm mechanism, wires 24 and 25 are led from the binding posts 15 and 16 to the telephone, which will notify central in the time of need, or to opposite poles of a battery 26, one of these wires leading through an electric gong 27 or other suitable signaling device.

It will of course be apparent that upon release of the weight 23, due to melting of the abutments, under excessive heat, the circuit through the battery and gong will be closed by bringing together of the contact strips12 and 13 and the gong will be continuously sounded as long as the battery remains sufiiciently strong. It will further be apparent that any number of these circuit closers may be included in a single circuit and that they may be disposed in any desired location, for instance, one may be located in each room of a house or factory. Preferably, the circuit closers are located in the upper portion of the room, near the ceiling, as being the hottest place.

The tubular supporting member, with its abutments, may be, at any time, readily removed from the circuit closer for inspection or renewal and substitution of one supporting member for another readily accomplished. For this reason, the system, by the selective employment of several supporting members having compounds which fuse at different temperatures, may be utilized to act as an alarm system for indicating any desired temperature. 7

It will of course be understood that I do not wish to restrict myself to the employment of the above circuit closer merely as a portion of a fire alarm system as it may be employed by manufacturers in connection with drying ovens or the like for giving an alarm in case the temperature becomes suffi- In Fig. at I have illustrated a somewhat modified form of supporting member, indicated as 'a whole by the numeral 28, this member being identical with that previous] described except that its fingers 29, whic carry the fusible compound abutments 30, are not provided with openings 21. The application and operation of this form of supporting member is identical with that of the form earlier described.

Again, in Fig. 5 I have illustrated a still further modified form of supporting member-31 which is identical with that shown in Fig. l, except that the fingers 32 carrying the abutments 33 are bent outwardly somewhat to more readily facilitate the positioning of the weight or ball. This supporting member operates in the same manner as the others and its fingers may, if desired, be provided with openings corresponding to the openings 21 of the supporting member 19.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

l. A circuit closer including a contact, a second contact movable under pressure to engage the first, a weight adapted, when released, to engage the second contact to move it into engagement with the first, and means for normally supporting the weight above the contact which it is to engage, said means including fusible supporting abutments, and a retaining guide leading to the contact.

2. A circuit closer including a supporting body, contacts secured to the body with their ends overlapping and spaced, said body being provided with an opening above the overlapping ends of the contacts, and means for supporting a weight in position to pass through such opening, when released, to engage the upper contact and force it into en gagement with the other contact.

3. A circuit closer including a supporting body, contacts secured to the body with their.

ends overlapping and spaced, said body being provided with an opening above the overlapping ends of the contacts, and means for supporting a weight in position to pass through such opening, when released, to engage the upper contact and force it into engagement with the other contact, said means including a tubular supporting member extending into the opening, and fusible abutments formed interiorly of the upper portion of the supporting member.

4. A circuit closer including a base, contacts carried bv the base and having overlapping spaced free terminals, the base being provided with an opening in vertical alinement with the overlapping terminals, a tubular supporting member extending at its lower end into the opening and provided at its upper end with a plurality of fin ers, fusible abutments formed on the inner aces of the fingers, and a weight supported by these abutments and proportioned, when released, by melting of the abutments, to pass through the supporting member and opening of the base to engage one contact and force it into engagement with the other.

5. A circuit closer including a base, contacts carried by the base and having overlapping spaced free terminals, the base being provided with an opening in vertical alinement with the overlapping terminals, a tubular supporting member extending at its lower end into the opening and provided at its upper end with a plurality of fingers, fusible abutments formed on the inner faces of the fingers, and a weight supported by these abutments and proportioned, when released by melting of the abutments, to pass through the supporting member and opening of the base to engage one contact and force it into engagement with the other, each of said fingers being provided with an opening to receive a portion of the fusible compound to anchor the'abutments in place.

6. A circuit closer including a base, contacts carried by the base and having overlapping spaced free terminals, the base being provided with an opening in vertical alinement with the overlapping terminals, a tubular supporting member extending at its lower end into the opening and provided at its upper end with a plurality of fingers, fusible abutments formed on the inner faces of the fingers, and a weight supported by these abutments and proportioned, when released by melting of the abutments, to pass through the supporting member and opening of the base to engage one contact andforce it into engagement with the other,

said fingers being bent outwardly adjacent their upper ends.

7. A circuit closer including a substantially vertical tubular member, fusible abutments mounted interiorly of the tubular member, a weight normally supported by the abutments and movable through the tubular member upon melting thereof, and contacts disposed below the tubular member and adapted to close a circuit when engaged by the weight.

8. A circuit closer including a substantially vertical tubular member, fusible abutments mounted interiorly of the tubular member, a weight normally supported by the abutments and movable through the tubular member upon melting thereof, and contacts disposed below the tubular member and adapted to close a circuit when engaged by the weight, said tubular member having perforations in which portions of the abutments seat to anchor the abutments in place.

9. A circuit closer including a substantially vertically disposed tubular member formed at its upper end with out bent fingers, abutments formed upon the inner faces of the fingers and of fusible material, a weight supported by the abutments and movable through the member upon melting of the abutments, and contacts, forming a switch closable when engaged by the weight, disposed below the member.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES B. SMITH. [L.S.]

Witnesses:

DANIEL L. SMITH, ARCHIBALD A. GoRHAM.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

